Ladies and Gentlemen I have returned to the blogosphere! And I have brought a digital party horn!

That’s right, your one stop blog for enlightened writing and exciting gossip (about moi) is back! Due to this blog’s astronomical entertainment value I often compare it to the Daily Mail, minus the factual inaccuracy, braggadocio racism, casual sexism and generalised ignorance and bigotry. So actually not a huge amount like the Mail.

(This is what happens when I have writer’s block; I stare blankly at the screen for about an hour and then spew a stream of silliness because it’s easier that way. I apologise unreservedly.)

So, here we are. 2013. I have just under 2 months left at Peacock, which means I have either 2 or 3 months left before I get to see everyone back home again (Huzzah, huzzah and thrice times huzzah at that prospect!). Why the indeterminate length of time? Well, my good friend Oscar and I plan to go on a roadtrip on the east coast for a month at the end of my stay here culminating in a visit to New York to see The Book of Mormon. I simply cannot wait. However, in order for this tantalising dream to become reality, I must first persuade the US government that I am not a terrorist, nor a mexican immigrant, nor a political dissident (ha!) and should be allowed to stay in the country for that extra month. I have already paid the obligatory $280 bribe (or ‘fee’ as they call it) to have my visa extended but the waiting time is so perilously long (2 and a half months on average), and the process so absurdly arbitrary that there is a real and present danger that all my grand scheming shall come to naught.

But no matter how long the remainder of my time in the USA turns out to be, there is a distinct sliver of light at the end of the tunnel in which I find my self. Now this tunnel is not altogether unpleasant; it may be a bit lonely and restrictive (claustrophobic even) but the land of milk and honey awaiting me on the other side will no doubt seem all the more wonderful for having had such an experience beforehand.

The last few weeks have been an exceptionally busy time. The main event of it all was the visit of my Parents and Louise. Between spotting increasing volumes of iguanas, fat people, exotic birds, lizards, and cruise ships, we managed to fit in visits to Ernest Hemingway’s house (where they have 6 toed cats!), the botanic gardens, the coral reef (twice) and a sangria-drenched sunset sail amongst other wonders. Since then we had a New Year’s Day meal which I was in charge of, and I did 30 (count ’em) seasoned pork chops on the barbecue. By all accounts they were delicious, the evening was a tremendous success, and I am a saint.

In other news I got an offer for Politics at Durham. My SOAS/LSE/Durham trilemma remains unresolved, but thank you anyway admissions tutors.